A bakery operates 3 parallel baking lines, each containing a mixer, proofer and oven (in that order). The bakery makes just one type of bread, white bread. A single packaging station receives bread from the 3 parallel baking lines.
For all 3 bread-making lines, assume the following:
Mix: 100 loaves / 0.5 hr
Proof: 100 loaves / 0.5 hr
Bake: 100 loaves / 1 hr
For pack, assume the following:
Pack: 200 loaves/0.75 hr
A.) Draw a process flow diagram.
B.) Is there a bottleneck in the bread-making (i.e. mix-proof-bake) process? If so, where?
C.) What is the throughput rate of the bread-making process (all lines together, ignoring Pack) in loaves/hr?
D.) What is the throughput rate of the entire system in loaves/hr?
E.) What is the total daily capacity, assuming the entire line operates for 8 hours (assume WIP is present at all times)?
F.) Assuming bread-making lines have WIP to get started, how much WIP builds up before the Packaging Station after 8 hours?
G.) Assuming you want all WIP flushed through the process before you close-up, determine the better deal financially for the following scenario (assume Packaging cycle time remains constant):
a. Overtime at the Packaging Station costs the bakery $100/hr
b. Outsourcing 50 loaves/hr capacity at the business located next door (they are slow in this economy) costs you $150/day.